Syria’s readiness to consider relinquishing its stockpiles of chemical
weapons in hopes of evading punitive strikes by the US military should
serve as a template for the international community’s strategy in
confronting a nuclear-driven Iran, diplomatic sources said on Tuesday.

Israeli officials are closely monitoring the latest diplomatic developments on the Syrian front, according to Israel Radio.

Officials
in Jerusalem told Israel Radio on Tuesday that while they were
skeptical of Syria’s willingness to hand over its chemical weapons
stockpile in hopes of warding off a US military assault, the very
proposal is proof that a real, credible military threat “gets the job
done.”

“When the Americans deploy their warships in the
Mediterranean, the Syrians get scared and say they are ready to consider
placing their arsenal of unconventional weapons under international
inspection, and perhaps even giving up those weapons altogether,” a
source told Israel Radio.

“Iran, too, will change its approach on
the issue of its nuclear program if there will be a real, credible
threat against it,” the source said.